The brigade system, developed in classic French kitchens, organises cooks into a clear hierarchy so that a complex service runs like a machine. The head chef leads, the sous chef runs the kitchen day to day and deputises, and chefs de partie each own a section such as sauce, fish, garnish, larder or pastry, supported by demi chefs de partie and commis chefs who are learning the trade. Kitchen porters keep everything moving and are often the unsung heroes of a busy night.
Modern kitchens are usually smaller and flatter, with chefs covering several sections, but clear roles still keep service calm and accountable. The culture has changed too: shouting, hazing and humiliating juniors were once treated as part of the training, and many kitchens now reject that openly in favour of teaching, respect and reasonable hours. Communication on the pass, with clear calls, responses and timings, remains the backbone of every brigade, whatever its size.
What we ask on the show
- How has the brigade system changed since you started cooking?
- What did you learn as a commis that you still use?
- Can a kitchen be calm and still be high-pressure?
- Why are kitchen porters so often overlooked?